When Steve (our webmaster and all things rock Guru) came to see me and asked me to review this CD he opened his request with “here’s something a little different for you to review”.” What is it?” I asked.” It’s high energy punk/ska but I think you should give it a go” he replied. I was unsure if I was the right man on the team for this as my background is classic/prog’/instrumental rock. Well Steve if your reading this you were one sly dog as I have a feeling you knew this would sail my boat. This album ROCKS big style. This CD, and the music within it, really sunk its teeth into me.

Capdown originate from Milton Keynes and “Wind Up Toys” is their third long player. It features twelve energetic and downright raucous tracks. I first checked out the album on my headphones and was struck at the sonic power of the mix (thanks to Hundred Reasons’ guitarist Larry Hibbit). The guitars sound fat and fruity and the drums positively ring and snap in the mix. It wasn’t long before I took off the headphones and gave it some welly on the hi-fi. To my pleasure the music still sounded magnificent.

The album opens with “Truly Dead”. Squally and dirty feedback sets the scene, always a great way of getting the listener on the edge of their seat. The band charge in with a great hybrid ska/rock onslaught, which has infectious riffing and driving rhythm thanks to some true rootsy rock drumming from Tim MacDonald. A cracking start to the album. ”Blood, Sweat And Tears” has a Red Hot Chilli Peppers vibe to the opening moments until the band rock out in a way which the Chilli Peppers couldn’t come close to. Jacob Sims-Fielding has a super vocal delivery almost spitting out the words in the way Anthony Kiedis used to but hasn’t done for many years. At this point I felt there was something rather special happening as I started nodding my head and feeling the urge to get up and bounce around. The title track “Wind Up Toys” is ska flavoured but has a glorious hard rock backbone. It’s a rallying call to put your musical preconceptions away and just go with it. This song is just so damn catchy it’s downright infectious. Ever wondered what a saxophone sounds like played with attitude, listen to this track and learn.” Terms And Conditions Apply” is a superbly crafted slab of radio ready swaggering and opinionated rock.” Surviving The Death Of A genre” has a spiky verse and a glorious chorus backed by more solid drumming.” No Matter What” has a sort of ska/reggae vibe to it and vocal lines weave rhythmically through out. ”Thrash Tuesday” is one minute and twenty two seconds of pure thrashing and is a major adrenaline rush thanks to some crushing drums.” Generation Next” is a rabble rousing slab of rock with a punky attitude. ”Strictly Business” for this reviewer is one of the albums highlights. It relentlessly rocks along but manages to contain the bands ska beats at the same time as sounding like a full on heavy rock juggernaut. Very cool.” Community Service” is sort of an autobiographical rock anthem. The band basically say what you see is what you get. You don’t need to conform and be a copy of a chart band. Be yourself and remember you’re in it for the music and yourselves, not the corporate machine. Final track “Home Is Where The Start Is” is another rabble-rousing tour de force full of attitude and self-belief. It has riffing and drums, which are so full of energy it sounds like the instruments are on steroids.

Wind Up Toys is a superb rootsy and honest rock record by a band playing it like they mean it. The sound of the band has been captured in such a way as to give the overall sonics a live feel and,the music itself, is most definitely relevant as it’s different to a lot of the rock which gets programmed on our radios and promoted in the press. The band have the energy of the Foo Fighters and the off the wall approach of Faith No More. They don’t sound like either of those bands, they just have the same direct and brave approach with their music, that the aforementioned bands had and have in theirs.

Capdown have shown with this release that they have more energy, enthusiasm and attitude than some of todays so called rock bands. I won’t mention names but if they heard these guys some of them would possibly end up in a dark room whimpering. This is good, honest to goodness home grown rock in a style that Capdown may possibly have made all their own. Bloody marvellous.

'Wind Up Toys' is released on February 5th through Fierce Panda Records

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Track List

Truly Dead
Blood, Sweat Abd Fears
Wind Up Toys
Terms And Conditionsd Apply
Surviving The death Of A Genre
Noi Matter What
Thrash Tuesday
Generation Next
Keeping Up Appearances
Strictly Business
Community Service
Home Is Where The Start Is

Line Up

Jake - vocals/sax
Keith -  guitar/vocals
Boob -  bass
Time -  drums
Eddie -  keyboards / samples